Why worry about tomorrow?

Okay, so I know I have had a two month hiatus from my blog post, but I have had a hard time thinking about what I want to post next. This is crazy because anyone that knows me understands that I have a knack for making a 10 minute conversation into a two hour discussion. It's a gift from above, I do believe!!! Anyway, I have had so much on my mind lately that emotions have been here and there and well all over the place (possibly related to being pregnant again, but who knows!!!) I decided that instead of writing about all of the negativity that negative people try to bring into our family, I would wait until I was at peace with the situations to write about the blessings we do have and boy there are many! Isn't interesting though how many of us go around and see the glass as half empty? I am guilty of this and have lived my life in this self depressing attitude for WAY TOOO LONG! It has finally taken my faith, my family and my true friends to help me realize that life is exactly what you make it. We have had to make hard decisions for our family that some people do not agree with and to be honest it hurts that the people you use to lean on for support are no longer there by their own choice. But as a husband and a wife raising a delightful daughter with a son on the way, we have realized that being parents is more about protecting your children than about doing what others deem acceptable. After all, WE are the parents in our OWN little family and we have a great support system of family and friends that accepts our decisions and stands by us even in the darkest of moments. These last two months have been trying, really the last two years since we were married, but we are making it..side by side... hand in hand... heart to heart! We have come to accept that maybe those who we thought would always be there have come to let us down and have chosen to lose sight of the beautiful blessings that children bring into a family. We have decided to not let this hold us down because in hindsight we know that we can't change anyone's perception or attitude. That change must come from inside one's self and our life continues to thrive with or without them. With this being said I have come to realize the importance of all the small things that make life so good. I could narrate them all but once again that would turn a ten minute list into an all day event! Here are the blessings in my life that make me smile once again....maybe you share the same one's...if not, I hope you enjoy reading them anyway!
1. Waking up!!!
2. Waking up to a sleepy little smile that immediately begins talking as if she had been up for hours!
3. Waking up together and cuddling with that sleepy little smile of ours!
4. Hearing the sweet voice of someone who cares and just calls to check up on things.
5. Having a family that enjoys seeing you raise your children and takes advantage of every opportunity to spend time with the little one!
6. Hearing a random stranger tell you "good morning" on one of those days when you should have just stayed in bed.
7. Finding crayola markings on the wall, door and my cell phone:)
8. Laughing together!
9. Making a new friend unexpectedly and knowing that they are the type of friend to never get tired of your repeated phone calls asking about which paint color to get:)
10. Being just the way to Lord intended for me to be and knowing that in all circumstances he is more than willing to carry my burdens for me!
11. Being able to LOVE someone with everything and feeling the same LOVE in return.
12. Being teenager silly with my husband...yes, he still laughs at my insanely immature jokes!
13. Dancing in the living room with my love!
14. Dancing anywhere just to hear my Kinsey giggle.
15. Having your parents say they are proud of you...it still sounds so refreshing at 28 years of age!
16. Knowing that God is in control.

So I could go on and on... but these are the things that popped into my head as I was writing this morning. I have faith that my family is safe and protected by God's grace. I have faith that no matter what happens today or tomorrow or ten years from now that it will be taken care of. Sunday at church our pastor reminded us that if you are one of those people who worry about everything, then good news is in store for you. He said there is no point in worrying about tomorrow, it has already been taken care of!!! I felt like he was talking straight to me and I wholeheartedly believe that he was because I am always worrying about something. According to my husband, I worry enough for an entire army. But not anymore..... my new goal in life is to see the glass half full. I can't always worry about how someone else feels or why they do not come around. They are in control of themselves and they make their own choices that they must live with. It will do me no good to worry about the things that I cannot change. Instead I am going to focus on the blessings I have today because that is all I am guaranteed and I would much rather spend my time watching my children grow, holding hands with my husband and appreciating those that are always there! I am blessed beyond what words can describe, my heart is full and my soul is nourished with God's word. I wish the same for all of you and hope that whenever you begin to worry you turn that glass the other direction and realize it is ALWAYS half full.
Until next time......PEACE, LOVE and the REESE'S!

Family of four on the way!

So....the exciting news is out and we are pregnant! Our new bundle of joy will be arriving in November and Kinsey will be 20 months old! It is hard to imagine that she will almost be two years old and new sister in such a short time. Nevertheless, we are thrilled, nervous and extremely blessed with the pending addition to our family. I think I am most apprehensive about how my precious Kinsey will handle it...she is the queen of the Reese family at this point! I have already had my moments when I break down and cry because I know she won't be the baby anymore ( i blame it on the pregnancy hormones but deep down I know it is a real concern)! My hubby thinks I am thinking about it too much but I have spent so much time with just her in her first year of life that I am scared she will resent me for taking care of a new baby. Sounds silly... because I know she is still young and probably not too aware that she is the only baby, but I like to think that she is a baby genius and understands it all. I mean just the other day at my 10 week appt. I swear she told the nurse "Thank you"! Anyway, underneath all this babbling is a mother who is excited to again be given the greatest gift from above. I may be over thinking it and I may be under thinking it....but what I do know is that when I see the ultrasound of our new baby my heart is full of love and my life feels so complete. With that being said I will sign off with a picture of our lil one and wish you all a blessed week. Until next time, PEACE, LOVE and the REESE'S!

FInally....I am back!!!

We have been so busy these last couple of weeks that I haven't had a chance to gather my thoughts or even have one complete thought! We are coming down to the end of our home building process and every last detail seems to take ETERNITY to finish! I am so ready to be in our new home that I can almost smell the wet paint! But I know that I must continue to wait it out and pray that God gives me enough patience to make it through the last two months of construction. I used to think that building and designing my own home would be sooooo much fun!!! I have now realized that the enjoyment is really not all there for me.... I am the worst person at a being patient and this home construction is like torture to me! Never mind the fact that I still need to furnish the entire house; except, for Kinsey's room of course. She is pretty much set! On the good side of news, I am pleased to announce that we officially have a walker in the REESE residence. That is right people, Kinsey has decided that walking can be fun! I am usually more tired at the end of the day, but that is fine... it just means that I sleep ten times better:) And sleep is what I crave right about now...so excuse me for the short post ( i just wanted you to all know that I am still an active participant on my own blog) but I must catch some beauty sleep. Keep checking back on our blog....WE have some exciting news to share with you....no hints from me... I will just keep you guessing!!! Until next time, PEACE, LOVE and the REESE'S!!!

Where does the time go?

This past weekend we had Kinsey's first birthday! It was wonderful.... I stressed about it for three months wanting every detail to be perfect because I knew this would only happen once in her life. At the end of the day, we were all exhausted from all the fun and unfortunately the hot and humid weather. But I can say that on top of all of this, I was emotionally exhausted and I still am today. What a difference a year makes!!! I am sure I am not the only mom who cries at the thought of her baby being a year old and if I am then that's okay because I have always been an emotional person:) I can't help but think about the first moment I laid eyes on her...the immense feeling of a deeper love was something I was not expecting. I honestly believe that our babies are miracles and gifts from God. They are each sent here to give us a deeper purpose and to help us become better people. My lil' lady has for sure changed my world in more ways than I could ever explain or even begin to understand. What I do know is that when I look in her eyes , I can see the confidence she has in me. I can see the trust she gives me and the love that none other can ever understand. She makes me crazy some days with her clingyness (possibly a word) and diva ways, but on nights like this when I watch her sleep in her crib I am reminded of the little 7 pound miracle that changed my world just a short year ago. I know she is not the perfect child, but she is beyond perfect for me and her tiny hands fit just right inside mine. My whole point behind this blog is cherishing every moment. Remember every tear you cried from being exhausted the first months you were a new mom. Remember every late night rocking that you somehow managed to accomplish despite the incredible sleep deprivation you were feeling. Remember every little smile and every giggle. Remember the first bath, the first professional picture session, the first tooth and the first gooey, slobbery baby kiss. It goes by so fast and I know that it will only go faster as she begins to walk and talk and rule the house:) Do not get me wrong... I am glad that my baby is strong and healthy and growing up well. I am not sad for her, I am just overwhelmed with the loss of my little newborn. Deep down I know I have not lost my baby.... I have gained a beautiful blossoming flower. It is just the thought of a whole year behind us that makes me start to second guess if I took the time to get every memory that I could while she was this young. Did I miss anything or neglect to see what would be important now? I know I am reading too much into this, but I can't help but wonder "Will I always miss the little baby that I rocked in my arms?" I have been told that it will get easier as the days go on and new babies come into our family, but for now I have my baby, the one that changed me forever. I am glad she had such a great time at her party. It may seem like a small success but it has been one of my proudest parent moments yet.

Kinsey Blayne, I am so happy you are mine and I love you to the moon and back! Love you, Mommy

Kinsey's First Rodeo

Yesterday, we took Kinsey to her first real rodeo in Houston. It was an experience to say the least....Kinsey was tired by the time the concert started and I wish that I could have curled up in someone's lap and passed out too! We had a very busy day...mostly from fighting the crowds! (Note to self: NEVER go to HLSR during Spring Break Week!) Kinsey took a picture with Ms. Moo (left) and also on a pony. However, the pony picture turned out looking like she was trying to jump into my arms more than resembling a cute lil' cowgirl on a pony. But these are the memories I live for...you know the one's that do not go as expected and yet in some way they find a way to embed themselves into your heart deeper than a moment in time that you had planned out to the smallest detail. And my husband can attest to the fact that I am a planner with a capital P!!! It is one of my greatest strengths and weaknesses. But being a mother has definitely made me realize that life cannot be planned out every day.You can be prepared, but even with that you must expect the unexpected:) A hard lesson for me is learning to unplan (not a word) what I have had etched into my head since I was ten years old. You know the whole white picket fence fairytale that many little girls grow up thinking defines happiness! My reality is moons beyond what I pictured...I have a wonderful husband that believes in my ability to be a mom, wife and anything I set my mind too; I have a beautiful, loving and sweet daughter who brightens my day by just smiling! Sure, I picked the husband, but I didn't get to choose our future...it just happens day by day, laugh after laugh, and with each "I love you!" I could not have dreamed up something this good...it is a gift from above and as my husband always reminds me as I begin to stress about my plans falling through "There is no sense in planning out your life, God already has your life written out. He is your map, you just need to follow!" So true...even during days like yesterday when I was worried I wasn't going to capture the most important moments of Kinsey's first rodeo....I soon saw after I perused my camera for images that the ones that mean the most are the ones that just happened because I let life happen.

This is one of those pictures that makes for a great memory. Kinsey is passed out in the middle of a concert, fireworks, and screaming fans and yet we can't even get her to sleep longer than five hours at a time in the peace and quiet!!! Spending the day as a family makes me realize just how precious it is each moment we share together. Kinsey will be one this Wednesday and it seems unreal! I fight back tears just to acknowledge this fact, but it is true. No matter how hard I try, I can't stop time...it will always win. I have come to the conclusion that the only way I am going to be able to get through this first birthday is to live for our future and cherish the beginning. She won't always be small enough to fit in my lap or curl up next to me in the rocking chair, but one thing that will never change: she will never outgrow my love or my heart. Until next time, "Life, love and The Reese's."

The beginning!!!

So, as it seems I find myself wanting to tackle the challenge of keeping up with a blog. I have read other blogs and find myself completely immersed in every last word, as if I am reading a great American novel and cannot find the need to put down the book. Come to think of it...many of the blogs I read are real accounts of everyday American life and I find a connection to them through each reading. This new found love, admiration, obsession ( i guess that one could seem true) that I have with blogs has made me realize that I WANT and NEED an outlet! I want place to talk to other adults in actual adult language and not the cutesy, baby talk that I find myself relishing in 24 hours a day. (And yes, I say 24 hours because our daughter does not sleep well at all and therefore I wind up feeling like I talk baby talk all DAY long!!!) I may not always have something profound to say, but I do feel that I may say something that will connect with others, even if it is just to provide a nice giggle at the end of the day! So, let it be known "here begins my journey as a blogger!" But please do not hold it against me if I neglect my blog some days....I find that I sometimes can't even remember to feed the dogs and nevertheless I am aware that I will sometimes completely forget my blog all together. But that just makes the moment I remember it more exciting and fulfilling! (kind of like finding that missing mate to a sock after searching for weeks!) I am so ready to begin this new endeavor and I can't wait to tell you more about me and my family!!! Until next time: Life, Love and Reese's!!!

Just a sneak peek at our precious daughter....more to follow on how much of a blessing she is to us ( even though she decided sleep is not a requirement for her!) 

P.s. This photo was taken by a wonderfully talented photographer, who just happens to be a near and dear friend to us!!! She is amazing....check out her work! www.spankimillsphotography.com/blog